The present invention generally relates to heat-traced headers, and more particularly, to pre-fabricated heat-traced headers for use in industrial applications.
When the surrounding environment is sufficiently cold, some fluids, such as water, may freeze in certain conveying pipes. To address this issue, freeze protection is often added to the pipes in the form of a heat tracing tape which heats the pipe and the fluid within the pipe. The pipe and heat trace are usually further protected by suitable insulation surrounding the pipe and heat trace tape. In this manner, heat tracing is often used in association with piping found in scrubbers, power plants, and other industrial applications which can be subjected to freezing temperatures.
In an industrial setting, it is typically desirable to replace or repair segments of piping in a relatively short time period. For example, during an overhaul, workers have a limited amount of time to work on the systems in the plant. The time period available for repair may be even shorter when repairs are made during non-planned outages. However, it is typically very time consuming to complete the multiple steps often required for heat tracing a pipe. Also, prior art heat tracing systems and methods occasionally fail thereby leaving piping systems unprotected from freezing temperatures. Therefore, it is desirable to have a method and apparatus that facilitates fast and reliable installation and repairs of freeze protected piping in industrial applications.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a flexible heat traced pipe is uniquely pre-fabricated to expedite the installation and repair process. The flexible heat traced pipe includes an inner structure, an outer structure, a heat trace, and a connector which are all cured into a unitary fluid carrying device. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the flexible heat traced pipe includes a flexible rubber header.